PROVO, Utah — If you've attended a BYU men's basketball game recently, your ears may have wondered where the band was this season. Since the opening tip of the schedule, the Roar of the Cougars band has yet to play at a single men's game.
"We've been asked to not play for the rest of the season," said trumpet player Jadyn Christensen.
As they've done in seasons past, the band did not perform at men's basketball games during the first half of the season because it's actually part of a class that starts in the second semester, so they usually start playing at men's basketball games in January.
New head basketball coach Kevin Young told the BYU athletic marketing team before the season that he wanted to keep everything consistent throughout the entire season, and that included having the band there for every game, which was something band director Fred McInnis could not agree to.
"McInnis responded to them and said that's not going to be possible," said Christensen. "We don't have the manpower, the funds, and I'm willing to ask students to do something additional compared to what I have already asked them to do. We were never told that we wouldn't be allowed to play."
When Christensen and his bandmates showed up to the Marriott Center on Jan. 14, everything was in place for them to perform, but once they set up they were told they would not be performing that night.
"That was brutal," added Christensen. "It was really heartbreaking. We were able to stay in those same seats and watch the game without playing. I didn't want to cheer very much that day, but I did."
Following that game, Christensen started a petition to oppose the school's decision not to have the band play at men's games, and as of Tuesday, over 5,000 people have signed it.
"I think it shows that the band is a part of the thriving heartbeat that is here at BYU, a part of the gameday tradition," said Christensen.
BYU Athletics told FOX 13 News that conversations with band leadership are ongoing to find solutions to move forward.
